NAME: Ian Walker
PLACE OF BIRTH: Worcester, UK
CURRENT HOME TOWN: Warsash, Southampton
NICKNAME: Louigi
FIRST SAILING MOMENT/WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO SAIL:
Mirror Dinghys – Chipstead Sailing Club
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN SAILING:
30 years
TOP FIVE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN SAILING
1) Silver medal 1996 Olympics – 470 class
2) Silver medal 2000 Olympics – Star class
3) Appointed Skipper GBR Chaccenea AC team
4) 1994 ISAF Gold medal – 470 class
5) Coaching 2004 Yngling gold medalists (Shirley Robertson)
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP:
West Ham player
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST EXPENSIVE SAILING ACCIDENT?
Breaking the mast on the Americas Cup fleet race with ‘+39’ – Not our fault though!
AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY:
Skipper – GBR challenge 2002/03
Tactician +39 Valencia 2007
OLYMPIC HISTORY:
Silver medal 1996 470 class
Silver medal 2000 Star class
SAILING CAREER HISTORY:
International 14 World Champion 1993 – Helm
470 ISAF World Champion 1994 – Crew
Mieges 24 World Champion 1998 – Helm/tactics
Farr 40 European Champion 2006 – Tactics
TP52 World Champion 2006 – Tactics
TP52 Copa Del Rey 1st 2006 – Helm
1st Fastnet race 1997 – Tactics, Helm
HOBBIES/OTHER SPORTS:
Tennis, Squash, Golf
MY WORST MOMENT (SAILING):
Being knocked out of 2002 America’s Cup
MY BEST MOMENT (SAILING):
Winning STAR silver medal after 17 months in the boat
FAVOURITE FOOD:
Thai
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE LONG AMBITION:
See my children grow up happy
WHAT IS YOUR WORST HABIT:
Not relaxing
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE MOTTO:
Never give up – always find a solution
THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE YOUR CHARACTER:
Determined, competitive, caring
STAR SIGN:
Pisces but I don’t believe in any of that!
WHATS YOUR GREATEST FEAR:
Losing
AWARDS:
ISAF World sailor of the year runner up – 1996
Chipstead SC – President
John Merricks sailing trust - trustee
